Replacing a zipper on a winter jacket with your own hands

It so happened that the zipper on my winter jacket began to jam. And they even helped me get out of it a couple of times.

It was good when I was “stuck” at home. Which is also not very convenient. When I'm getting ready to go somewhere, I'm in a hurry, putting on a jacket... And suddenly... and in the middle the lock gets stuck. After that, I couldn’t even move it myself; I had to use outside help. It was good when someone was nearby and helped me. And so we had to postpone the visit and reschedule meetings... well, you must admit, it’s not very convenient. Perhaps the most inconvenient thing was when I unfastened the lock in the store, but it did not fasten back. I had to walk home in an unbuttoned jacket in the cold.

I haven't bought a new jacket yet. And since I really like mine, I’m looking for a similar one. But until I found it, I decided to repair this one.

As always, I remembered about her when it started snowing. In the current situation, I don’t really want to go somewhere urgently to look for a jacket. So I went to the store and bought not a jacket, but a lock for it. This is how I will change it, I’ll show you now.

Perhaps it will be useful to you too. Suddenly, someone likes the jacket just like me, but you can’t find a similar one. In this case, you can simply change the lock. Of course, you can contact a studio or a familiar master who will do all this for you. Or you can do everything yourself. Well, shall we change the lock?

I will say right away that I am not a professional tailor and have never learned to sew professionally. More precisely, I studied. But I learned from my grandparents, who were professional tailors. I also had a great labor teacher at school. Under her leadership, we sewed everything. Therefore, if it seems to someone that I am doing this incorrectly, I admit that in your opinion I am doing this incorrectly. But I do it the way that is most convenient for me. And ultimately, you can do this yourself, without going to a studio or professional tailors. So I'm just sharing my experience. So let's get started.

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Is it possible to make a dog yourself and install it?

If the tongue of the pawl falls out, but the slider itself remains in place, then replacing the slider can be postponed until later. You just need to find an object that, after a few manipulations, will become suitable for use as a tongue. It could be a paper clip, a bobby pin, or a hairpin .

The sequence of steps for making a dog yourself:

bend 1 side of the paperclip (if you are using a bobby pin or a pin, then not only bend it, but also use pliers to shape it into an unfinished circle or oval, one edge of which is bent slightly to the side and forms an “L”);
insert the workpiece into the hole in the tongue;
scroll so that the end of the workpiece is as far as possible from the edge of the paper clip;
fasten a wool thread to a paper clip (it is thicker than sewing thread, so it fits better);
Using a hook, wrap the yarn around the entire paper clip;
At the end of the process, complete the tying with a fixing knot.

The use of thread is caused by the need to soften the improvised tongue, decorate it with the color of the zipper and provide additional protection to the hands. If the listed nuances are not on the agenda or there is simply no time, then it is quite possible to do without winding, that is, simply insert a paper clip or a bobby pin into the hole in the slider.

Important! If the slider breaks down on the street and you don’t have any office supplies or a hairpin at hand, then remove the keys from the ring and use it together with the tongue of the pawl.

With large dogs, you can do without a metal piece - a paper clip or a bobby pin. It is enough to purchase a lace of the same color as the zipper . In addition to this, you will need: side cutters, decor (optional) and a lighter. Beads, keychains and metal balls with holes are suitable for decoration.

Sequencing:

insert the lace into the hole of the dog;
cut off excess;
string decor on a rope;
tie the ends in a knot;
Use a lighter to burn the ends to prevent them from unraveling.

Additionally, you can form a decorative knot that does not bear any practical load approximately in the middle of the threaded lace, and then put on the beads. An option that does not use decor at all, provided that a contrasting rope to the jacket is used, also looks aesthetically pleasing.

Step-by-step DIY replacement process

Method one:

take pliers and bite off or remove the upper slider lock (a limiter that prevents the pawl from arbitrarily falling out of the zipper; the plastic one is bitten off, but the metal one is unbent and removed);
put the slider on the zipper (it may be tight, you shouldn’t rush and pull, you need to move carefully, slightly rocking the pulley from side to side and from top to bottom);
putting on the slider, lower it down;
We take a new metal bracket-limiter and install it in place of the old clamp;
so that the bracket fits well, squeeze it from the sides with pliers or a side cutter;
in a similar way we change the second upper limiter located on the other side of the jacket;
we try to fasten the zipper using a new slider;
if it dangles, sits too loosely, then carefully squeeze it from 2 sides with pliers (you don’t need to apply excessive amounts and force and leave too little gap, otherwise the slider simply won’t be able to work or will begin to tear the fabric).

Important! It is imperative to change the latch on the second side of the jacket, which, at first glance, is in no way connected with the slider, since contact between the pawl and this limiter still takes place. This happens when the zipper is zipped all the way. And if there is a small limiter on one half and a large one on the other, this may later cause the lock to diverge or the slider to fly out.

Method two:

remove the retaining bracket and the old slider;
Using scissors, cut the top edge of the zipper a little (just a little and as close to the beginning of the teeth as possible);
put on the dog;
install a new retaining bracket;
change the limiter on the 2nd side of the jacket;
Use buttonhole stitches to sew up the incision that was previously made on the zipper.

This method is good because it facilitates the process of threading the zipper slider . Its disadvantages are also obvious: you will have to make an incision, then sew it together, which in the future can cause premature failure of the zipper (it will begin to tear further, creep along the previously planned cut and holes from the needle).

Types of runners on a jacket and their markings

To buy the right dog, look at the back of the old one. There is a number and a letter engraved there. Helpful notes regarding the number:

the numerical indicator of standard sliders varies from 3 to 10;
steel lightning may be outside the specified range, exceed it, or vice versa;
the number is not just a number, it is the width of the slider in millimeters (if you can’t see the engraving, measure the width of the slider).

The letter component of the marking is also indicative. Its meanings:

X – cast and one-piece zipper, number of locks: 2;
L – the clasp cannot be undone, number of locks: 1;
N – one-piece type zipper, number of locks: 2;
D – the zipper opens completely, there are 2 locks with 2 connectors;
A – the lock design does not provide a connector;
B – there is a connector, number of locks: 2;
C – there is a connector, number of locks: 1.

The dog itself, or more precisely, its shape, serves as a kind of . You can use it to find out the type of lock. For a twisted zipper, the traditional slider has the shape of an oval, for an iron zipper it has the shape of a triangle, for a tractor zipper it has an oval or trefoil shape. There are also products of other shapes, but they are less common on the market than the classic versions.

Important! If you don’t have the old dog, just take the jacket with you to the store. An experienced seller will be able to “by eye” choose the right type of slider. As a last resort, he will do this experimentally.

How to replace a zipper slider

Repairing a zipper on a jacket, jeans, or bag does not always require replacing it. Replacing zippers is required if the teeth of the metal lock have become detached from the tape, or the tip of the left side of the fastener has become frayed. In such cases, you cannot repair the zipper with your own hands, and replacing the slider or, as they also say, “dogs” will not help. A more complex case is when the slider in a bag or suitcase needs to be replaced. If the zipper comes apart when fastening, you will have to contact a workshop or studio and replace the zipper. But you can replace the slider in a jacket yourself; the main thing is to buy a slider of the same size and type at a sewing accessories store.

To avoid mistakes when buying a slider, it is best to have an old slider with you. But even this does not guarantee that it will definitely fit. It is possible that after replacement the lock will come apart or not fasten at all. This is especially common with so-called “twisted” or spiral lightning. Less common with tractor and metal zippers.

So, how can you replace the slider and repair the zipper yourself easily and simply? First you need to remove the fastener on the right side of the zipper strip if the lock is metal or spiral. The “tractor” zipper does not have such a fastener, or rather, it is there, but it is not removable, but this one is a little lower. Using an awl or a small screwdriver, carefully straighten the tabs of the bartack. After this, remove the old broken slider and install a new one in its place from top to bottom. Place the fastener in its original place and bend the petals back with pliers or a screwdriver. Check how the lock works with the new slider, and to facilitate its movements, you can rub the teeth with a piece of dry soap.

Little tricks when replacing or repairing a dog

It happens that the new dog is quite difficult to follow the zipper. To make movement easier, you need to slightly straighten the slider flaps, and then remember to tighten them again.
You can use lubricant to improve glide. Special oil is suitable for metal, and dry soap is suitable for plastic.
If you don’t have a lock, but need to make sure the dog doesn’t fly out, use thread. Stitch this area several times to create a barrier.

You may be interested in the article “3 ways to repair PVC awnings.”

There are several ways to replace a zipper dog. If you have the time and desire, you can do all the work yourself. To successfully complete the job, use new staples and a slider that will be identical in size and shape to the broken parts.

Types of lightning

Such fasteners, also called snakes, are divided into single-sided and double-sided. The second type is one of the most practical types of fasteners and is used on jackets, down jackets, and coats. Depending on the material of the teeth, snakes can be metal, plastic (tractor) or twisted.

These fasteners may also differ in length and tooth sizes. The teeth are small, medium and large. This is determined by the type of clothing where such a fastener is inserted.

Dogs on snakes differ in the material they are made of. They are made of metal and plastic. Plastic dogs are simple and easy to use. Metal sliders (dogs) are more reliable and durable and are used more often.